Automatic train control.



J. KONSEL.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL.

APPLICATION FIL ED MAY 1, I915.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

'2 SHEETS-SHEEI I.

J. KONSEL.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1915.

1,168,010. Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Ii l'i the block.

nirnn STATES PATENT oniuon.

JOHN KONSEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG'NOR 0F ONE-FOURTH T0 JOSEPHHAVRANEK, OF NEW YORK, N. -Y.

AUToMA'rio TRAIN CONTROL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN KONSEL, a subject of the Emperor ofAustria-Hungary, residing at New York, in the county of New York andState of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Train Controls, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic train controls and it consists inthe novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide an electrically operated traincontrol of simple structure, the parts of which maybe arranged along thetrack of a road in a manner to be acted upon by the wheel flanges of apassing train to position certain members adapted to cooperate withdevices carried by all trains which usethe same track whereby a secondtrain is prevented from entering a block upon which the first train maybe standing or traveling. The parts of the device are so arranged thatwhen the first train to enter a block leaves the same the parts at theentrance end of the block are caused to assume normal positions, out ofthe way, so that a following train may readily enter the said blockwithout the interruption on the part of the controlling apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure l 1 is a diagrammatic View of thetrain control. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of features of the same. Fig. 3is a side elevation with parts in section of the device which ispositioned in the vicinity of the entrance end of the block of thetrack. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a feature adapted to be engaged bythe wheel flanges of a train passing over Fig. 5 is a similar view of afeature located in the vicinity of the exit end of theblock.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings the device is shown inconjunction with a track rail 1 which at suitable intervals along itslength is divided into blocks in the usual manner. A current wire 2 anda return wire 3 extend along the rail 1 and are connected with anysuitable source of electric supply (not shown). A frame 4 is locatedadjacent the rail 1 inrthe vicinity of'the entrance end of the blockthereof and a coil 5 is mounted upon the said frame. A wire 6electrically connects a coil 5 with the curl rent wire 2. A core 7 ismovably mounted Specification of Letters Patent.

SeriaINO. 25,229.

in the coil 5 and is provided at one end with a head 8. A spring 9 isinterposed be- Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

tween the head 8 and the adjacent end of the frame 4 and is undertension with a tendency to normally maintain the head '8 That end of thecore 7 opposite the end thereof which carries the head 8 is beveled asat 10 and a lug 11 is provided upon the frame 4 and is located in thepath of movement of the bevel end of the core 7 and is adapted to limitthe sliding movement of the said core with relation to the frame 4. Atriangular block '12 is pivotally mounted inthe frame 4 adjacentthebeveled end 10 of the'core 7 and is provided with journaled rollers 13and 14.

'60 in a position remote from the said frame.

When the coil 5 is not energized the spring of (the drawing and belowthe upper surface of the track rail '1. When the .coil 5 is energlzed byelectric current passing therethrough (as will be hereinafter explained)the core 7 is moved longitudinally therein and assumes the positionshown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The longitudinal movement of the saidcore compresses the spring 9 between the head 8 and the adjacent end oftheframe 1 and the beveled end portion of the core 7 passes under theblock 12 and the roller 14 rides up along the beveled end 10 of the saidcore and the block 12 assumes the'position shown in Fig. 3. When in thisi position it will be observed that the roller 18 is supported above theupper surface of the track rail 1 and the beveled end of the core 7 isin contact with the adjacent side of the lug 1'1.

Consequently it will be seen that j the lug 11 limits the longitudinalmovement of the core 7. in the frame 4 and the coil ,5.

A frame 15 is positioned adjacent the track rail 1 and a coil 16 ismounted upon the said frame 15. A core l7 is mounted for verticalmovement in the coil 16 and carries at its upper end a plate 18.v Aspring 19 is interposed between the under side of the plate 18 and theadjacent side of the frame 15 and is under tension with a tendency tohold the said plate in a position remote,

from the frame. 15. A cup 20 .is-mounted upon the frame 15 and carriesin its lower portion a volume of liquid electric conducting substance 21which may be of mercury or its equivalent. A volume of oil 22 is locatedin the upper portion of the'cup 20 and rests upon the upper surface ofthe mercury 21. Spaced pins 23 and 24 are carried by the plate 18 andpass down through the top of the cup 20. The pins 23 and 24 are normallymaintained in an elevated position as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawingsunder the tension of the spring 19 which is interposed between the frame15 and the plate 18. Con sequently it will be seen that the lower endsof the pins 23 and 24 are normally held in the oil 22 and out of contactwith the mercury 21. A curved arm 25 is pivotally mounted adjacent theframe 15 and the free end of the said arm rests upon the upper surfaceof the plate 18 in the vicinity of the center of the upper end of thecore 17. A wire 26 is connected at one end with the coil 5 and at itsother end with the pin 23. A Wire 27 is connected at one end with thepin 24 and at its other end with the coil 16. The arm 25 is locatedadjacent the inner side of the track rail 1 and the free end portion ofthe said arm is normally held in the vicinity of the upper surface ofthe track rail or slightly above the upper surface of the same as shownin Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings.

A frame 28 is located adjacent the side of the track rail 1 but in thevicinity of the exit end of the next adjacent block at which the frames4 and 15 are located. A coil 29 is mounted upon the frame 28 and a core30 is movably mounted in the said coil. A stop 31 is mounted upon thecore 30 and a spring 32 is interposed between the frame 28 and the saidstop and is under tension with a tendency to hold the said stop at aposition remote from the coil 29. The core 30 is provided with a roundedend 33 which is adjacent the stop 31. A bolt 34 is slidably mounted inthe frame 28 beyond the rounded end 33 of the core 30 and carries at itsupper end a plate 35. A spring 36 is interposed between the late 35 andthe adjacent side of the plate 28 and is under tension with a tendencvto hold the plate 35 at a position remote from the said frame. A stop 37is mounted upon the bolt 34 at a point between the upper and lower sidesof the frame 28 and the upper end of the said stop normally engagesunder the rounded end 33 of the core 30 as'best shown in Fig. 5 of thedrawing. A stop 37 is approximatelv conical in configuration with itslarger end uppermost. An arm 38 is pivotally mounted upon the frame 28and the free end of the said arm rests upon the upper surface oftheplate 35. The arm 38 is provided at its pivoted end with angularlydisposed extensions 39 as best shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Cups 40and 41 are mounted upon the frame'28 and are provided in their lowerportion with quantities of quicksilver, or similar material, indicatedat 42. The upper portions of the cups 40 and 41 contain volumes of oilindicated at 43. Pins 44 are pivotally connected with the extensions 39and pass down through the tops of the cups 40 and 41. An electric wire45 connects the pins 44 together. A wire 46 connects one of the pins 44witn the coil 16 mounted upon the frame 15. A wire 47 passes through thesides of the cups 40 and 41 and electrically connects the volumes ofmercury 42 in the said cups together. A wire 48 electrically connectsthe mercury 42 in the cup 40 with the coil 29 and a wire 49 electricallyconnects the coil 29 with the return wire 3. A tappet 50 (see Fig. 1) isadapted to be carried by the engine or car which passes over the trackrail 1 and the said tappet may be operatively connected in anyappropriate manner, with the throttle valve of the engine or the brakevalve of the air system for controlling the movement of the engine whenthe tappet encounters the roller 13 when the block 12 is extended abovethe upper surface of the track rail 1.

The operation of the train control is as follows :Assuming that theparts are in the positions as shown in Fig. 1 of the draw ings, and anengine or train is moving along the track rail 1 in the directionindicated by the arrow in the said figure. The flange of one of thewheels, (not shown) strikes the arm 25 and depresses the same wherebythe plate 18 and pins 23 and 24 are moved in a downward direction andthe lower end portions of the said pins 23 and 24 enter the mercury Orquicksilver 21. At the same time the core 17 1s moved in a downwarddirection against the tension of the spring 19 and is located wellwithin the coil 16. Current.

then flows from the wire 2 along the wire 6 and through the coil 5energizing the same and thus the core 7 is moved longitudinally throughthecoil 5 against the tension of the spring 9. When the beveled end 10of the core 7 encounters the roller 14 the block 12 is swung from alower position as shown in Fig. 1 to an elevated position as shown-inFig. 3 and is held temporarily at the said elevated position. When inthe elevated position described the roller 13 is supported above theupper surface of the track rail 1. From the coil 5 the current passesalong wire 26 to pin 23 thence through the quicksilver 21 to pin 24thence from the pin 24 along wire 27 to the coil 16. Therefore the coil16 is energized and'the core 7 is held in a lower position thereinagainst the tension of the spring 19. From the coil 16 the currentpasses along the wire 46 and thence through the wire 45 and through thepin 44 which enters the cup 41 to the quicksilver 42 in the said cup 41.The current then passes along the wire 47' to the quicksilver in the cup40 thence along wire 48 through the coil 49 \Vhen the coil 29 becomesenergizedthe; core 30 is moved longitudinallyin'the said coil againstthe tension of the spring 32 and the roundedend 33 of thesaidcore iswithdrawn from over the upper larger end of the stop 37. Therefore thetension of the spring 36 comes into play and the plate 35 is elevatedwhich in turn raises the free end of the arm 38 so that the intermediateportion of the arm is carried into the path of movement of the wheelflange which travels along the track rail 1. When the arm 38 swings fromthe lower position shown in Fig. 5 to an upper position just describedthe extensions 39 are turned with the said arm whereby the pin in thecup 41 is raised to an elevated position and the pin 44 in the cup 40 islowered into the quicksilver 42 contained within the said cup 40. Thepins 44 in the cups 40 and 41 are of a length that both pins cannot bein contact with the quicksilver in the respective cups at the same time.In fact, there is a slight interval of time from the moment one pinleaves the quicksilver until the other pin enters the quicksilver. Theobject of this will be explained hereinafter. When the block 12 has beenswung to the position shown in Fig. 3 should another train or engineenter the same track block the tappet 25 of the succeeding or followingengine or train will encounter the elevated roller 13 and the saidtappet will be operated to cut off the steam from the engine of thefollowing train or operate the brake valve or give a signal.Consequently the following train or engine will be brought to a state ofrest or the engine driver will be notified of danger ahead. In the eventthat no engine or train follows the preceding engineor train when thelast mentioned engine or train arrives at the arm 38 which has beenelevated along the track rail 1 as above described the flange of thesaid engine or train encounters the said arm 28 and depresses the sameagainst thetension of the spring 36. This moves the bolt 7 34 in adownward direction and the coneshaped stop 37 is carried below therounded end 33 of the core 30. At the same time the extensions 39 areswung to the positions shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. During theswinging movement of the extensions 39 the pins 44 are movedlongitudinally and the pin in the cup 41 is moved down into thequicksilver 42 therein while the pin 44 in the cup 40 is moved up out ofthe quicksilver 42 in the said cup. During the interval that both of thepins 44 are out of contact with the mercury 42 in the cups 40 and 41 theelectric circuit hereinbefore described is broken and interrupted and -Vconsejquently the magnetic coil 29is deenergized and the tension of thespring 32 comes into play whereby the rounded end 33 of the core 30 isforced over the upper larger end of the stop 37 upon the bolt 34. Thusthe said bolt 34 is locked in its lowest position. When the electriccircuit is interrupted as justabove described the'magnetic core 16 isdeenergized whereby the tension of the spring 19 comes into play and thecore 17 and plate 18.

are moved in an upward directionand the ings which are the normalposition of these features of theinventiorn When the pins 23 .and 24 aremoved up out of contact with the quicksilver 21 in the cup 20 theelectric circuit above described is again broken at this point andconsequently the magnetic coil 5 is deenergized and the core 7 is movedunder the tension of the spring 9 so that its beveled end portion iscarried from under the block 12 and the said block 12 by. gravity swingsdown into its normal position in the frame 4, the same as indicated inFig. 1 of the drawings.

Fromthe above description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings it will be seen that a train control device of simple anddurable structure is provided and that the parts positively cooperateWith each other in a manner to efficiently control the movement of asucceeding train over the track way and that the operating action isautomatic throughout the system.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1 1. In a traincontrol a track, an arm movably mounted with relation to the track andadapted to be engaged by the flange of a wheel passing along the track,a magnet located adjacent the arm, a spring supported core movablymounted in the magnet and adapted to be depressed by the arm, an opencircuit connected with the magnet and means carried by the core forclosing the circuit andoperable to close the circuit when the said coreis depressed.

2. In a train control a track, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent thetrack and adapted to be depressed by the flange of a wheel passing alongthe track, a magnet located adjacent the arm, a spring supported coremovably mounted in the magnet and movable by the arm when the arm isdepressed, spaced pins movably mounted with the core, a cup rece1v1ngsaid plns, a circuit end of the arm bears, a stop mounted upon the bolt,a magnet located adjacent the bolt, a core movably mounted in the magnetand engageable With the stop, a circuit connected With the magnet andmeans carried by the armfor breaking the circuit. I 7

4. In a train control a track, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent thetrack and having extensions, a spring supported bolt for supporting thearm, a stop carried by the,

bolt, cups located adjacent the arm, pins carried by the extensions ofthe arm and entering the cups, means electrically connecting the pinstogether, electric transmitting fluid located in the cups and adapted tobe entered successively by the pins, the said pins at an interval beingout of engagement with both bodies of fluid, means electricallyconnecting the bodies of fluid together and means electricallyconnecting one of the bodies of fluid with the magnet.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

v JOHN KONSELQ Witnesses:

M. E. LAUGHLIN, G120. A. BYRNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

